Lump of Coal Holiday Cookie Stocking Stuffers

Whether your kids are naughty or nice, these dense and chewy Lump of Coal cookies will make for a highly requested addition to your family’s stocking stuffer tradition. They’re as simple to make as Rice Krispie Treats, requiring only three ingredients (Oreo cookies, marshmallows and a little butter), and take only a few hours to dry and harden, so you can make and package them the night before Christmas while the kiddos are asleep.

Place oreos in the bowl of a food processor, and pulse until cookies have broken down into grounds. Place butter in a large soup pan over medium heat until melted. Add the marshmallows, and stir continuously until combined with the butter and melted completely. Remove from heat and add the ground Oreos. Stir until evenly coated.

Pour cold water in a small bowl. When the mixture is cool enough to touch, dip hands into the bowl of water to keep the mixture from sticking, and grab about 2 tablespoons worth. Roll into a ball between your palms. If the mixture is particularly dry, you may need to squeeze the dough in your palms a few times before rolling.

Once you've formed a ball, press it into a disc between your palms, and then set on the wax paper to dry and harden. Repeat this process with the remaining mixture. Let sit for 2-3 hours before packaging.

Package your cookies in cellophane bags, and attach your personalized holiday gift tags. We chose the text, "Lump of Coal Treats - You've been Naughty!" but you can change it to say anything you'd like.

Josephine Guicciardi is the nom de plume of our creative Evermine blogger. With romantic connections to Ludwig van Beethoven’s “Immortal Beloved” love letters, it is in keeping with the blog’s themes of love and joy. The great composer writes the famous words “ever thine, ever mine, ever ours” to a woman who remains a mystery to this day. Two of the most likely objects of his adoration are Josephine Brunsvik and Guilietta Guicciardi, and it’s from these two women that Josephine Guicciardi draws her persona.